Arabs call for emergency UN meeting and action to end Israeli attacks on Palestinians in Gaza

UNITED NATIONS – Arab nations are calling for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and immediate action to end what they say is Israel's "outrageous onslaught" against Palestinians, especially in Gaza.

Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour and ambassadors representing Arab, Islamic and non-aligned nations say that they expect an urgent council meeting to be held very soon. They spoke to reporters after meeting the Security Council president.

"We want the Security Council to shoulder its responsibility and stop this aggression against our people," Mansour said.

He urged the council to adopt a presidential statement or a resolution to protect the Palestinian people and hold those responsible for the attacks accountable.

This will likely prove difficult because of deep divisions in the council, including the strong U.S. support for Israel.